Refuge des Clots - hike

A lovely mountain hut near Mizoën at an altitude of 1515 m. A stopover on the GR50 54C tour of the Ecrins and the start of numerous hikes on the Emparis plateau. Close to the petrifying Cascade de la Pisse waterfall, the via ferrata and a climbing route. Superb views of the Meije.From the car park at Les Aymes, follow the path marked in red and white (variant of the GR 54 path): the balcony trail makes its way above the Lac du Chambon before climbing up across the meadows. From there, hikers can either follow the discovery trail to the right that joins the refuge (adding ½ hour) or carry straight on to Les Clots. The walk and hut have been awarded the "Espit Parc" label and are perfect for families and people looking for peace and quiet and to reconnect with their inner selves! Along the way, and near the refuge, depending on the time of your visit, you may see marmots, chamois and butterflies, and depending on the season, feast your eyes and nose with lavender and orange lilies. You’ll also have a chance to admire the waterfalls above the hut, gushing out of a petrified fountain, forming lumps of tuf. The site is under a biotope protection order, so please stay on the path to avoid damaging this geological wonder.

The Ferrand valley is the least developed of the six Oisans valleys. Indeed, the name Ferrand comes from the Latin “ferus”, meaning “wild”, to portray the raging mountain river that flows through this beautiful, secret and little-visited area.This almost 64 km circuit start in Bourg d'Oisans. The villages of Ferrand' valley have cleverly managed not to give in to modernisation and have gracefully travelled through the ages. With its jumble of buildings, thick stone walls and roofs that seem to almost tough each other, Besse-en-Oisans is one of the prettiest villages in Oisans, if not in the French Alps. Indeed, it has been classed by the French Building Association. In local patois dialect, “bes” is the word for birch, since, until it was totally destroyed in a fire, a birch forest used to caress the village with its silver branches. Located in the heart of the village, the ↘Maison Départementale des Alpages (Mountain Pasture Centre) admirably portrays the soul of the surrounding mountains and region. Run by real enthusiasts, this centre retraces the history of the area as shaped by man throughout the ages, with a fun and educative approach to a world that is kept very much alive through exhibitions, films and old objects. You then drive on towards Clavans-en-Haut-Oisans, before tackling the narrow road up to the Col de Sarenne, (closed in winter). Once over the Sarenne mountain pass, wind your way down into the Sarenne valley which leads to Alpe d’Huez resort. Discover the↘archaeological site of Brandes, just before the altiport (on left of the road). An exhibition presents this unique site in Europe at ↘Huez and Oisans Museum. Stop off for a visit to the resort before returning to Bourg-d'Oisans.

This Nautical base is a haven of relaxation and softness in its decor of water and greenery. Discover a space of relaxation and soft leisures: you can rent paddle, canoe / kayak, pedalo. Restaurant: catering and Snack / drinkThe nautical base of Lake Chambon comes back to life after 11 years of interruption of activity. Lovers of this place and rocked by their childhood memories Yannick Dode, the manager and his cousin Jeremy have successfully completed their challenge. After several months of renovation, La Cabane du Lac is born. Real little haven of peace, you can enjoy the various activities: water sports, yoga, badminton, petanque, slackline ... For the perfect combo, Yannick & Jeremy propose refreshment area for lunch and dinner with burgers, woks, salads, ceviche,...

The Chambon dam was built between 1929 and 1935. In 1918, the industrialist Henri Frédet discovered the potential of this narrow, 75m long section of the Romanche river. It proved to be the ideal location for regulating the flow of the river.In 1921, studies showed that the presence of hard, cristallin schist in the soil provided a perfect seal for the water. The potential of hydroelectricity drew the attention of speculators during the 1920s stock exchange boom. Despite having to flood the villages of Le Chambon,Le Dauphine and Pariset, work began on the dam. During the construction period, a temporary cable car was set up over a 10.5 km stretch from Bourg d'Oisans to Le Chambon to supply the site with cement and other materials more rapidly. This cable car had 193 huge buckets that could each carry 250 km of cement. 62 metal pylons were built 900 m apart, some up to 40 m high, to bear the weight of the 22.5 km steel cable. The reservoir filled with water between 24 April and 9 October 1935. As early as May 1935, the turbines of the Sainte-Guilherme power plant were being driven by water and intake from the neighbouring Ferrand Valley was later added to boost the supply of water.